(Frankfort, Ky.) - What began as a Latino health fair seven years ago, hosted by local churches and organizations, has blossomed into the Shelbyville Heritage Day, which will feature several cultures, arts, music and entertainment along with health information, this Saturday September 25, 10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in downtown Shelbyville. Stage areas will feature salsa dance, mariachi, cumbia and Cuban music as well as demonstrations of traditional foodways. Festival goers will get the chance to understand the various Latino traditions through demonstrations and displays of the everyday art of piñatas, All Saints Day baskets, Holy Week carpets, home altars, costumes and more.

The Arts Council is providing technical assistance to Centro Latino for presenting cultural traditions in ways that people outside of the culture can understand as well as building an awareness that everyone has folklife traditions that are unique to their family, occupational skills, religion, or community. The Kentucky Folklife Program, an interagency program of the Kentucky Arts Council and the Kentucky Folklife Program provides interpretation for cultural traditions in many ways. "We are excited to be able to deliver this kind of hands-on assistance for this festival. Our narrative stages offer interviews with artists so everyone can gain a better understanding of the ways traditions evolve," says Kentucky Folklife Program Director Bob Gates. "We are very interested in local fairs and festivals having a folklife component and encourage them to use the Kentucky Folklife Festival as a model for documentation and presentation."

For more information about the Kentucky Folklife Program, contact Bob Gates at 888-833-2787 ext. 4481 or [email protected].

For more information about Centro Latino and Shelbyville Heritage Day, contact Adam Ruiz at 502-647-3349.

The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet. Working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Council invests in programs that develop vibrant communities, provide lifelong education in the arts and support arts participation. Every $1 in grant funds awarded by the Kentucky Arts Council helps grantees secure $15 in earned income and matching funds from individuals, philanthropic sources and other levels of government.

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